


The Red Velvet Box

by Floris_Oren



Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: Bathing, F/M, Kaoru is a spy, Kaoru steals clothing, Kenshin needs more clothes, Ladies night out, Marriage Proposal, No Sex, Now whose in the shed Kaoru?, Onsen, Slight Nudity, Yahiko is not impressed, bath house
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-09 18:06:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4359029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floris_Oren/pseuds/Floris_Oren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kenshin and Kaoru never do anything normal. Not even when it comes to a marriage proposal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Red Velvet Box

**Author's Note:**

> This was suppsoed to be a story about Kaoru trying to be more of a woman for Kenshin because she's gotten the idea that's what he wants. Kenshin was supposed to be amused by it and let her try and by the end tell her that she doesn't need to be any more of a woman than she already is and that he loves her all the same and then ask her to marry him. 
> 
> This is not that story. It changed for reasons. But I like what I did and I may try and write the original idea. Please enjoy. 
> 
> Secondly - in the Meiji era the west and their customs was a thing. Which was why I went with the proposal that I did. Also, I suppose Japanese people don't show a LOT of PDA in public, but I chose a tiny bit for a nice romantic ending. I understand that's not true to life but it's fiction and I liked the idea. Please enjoy.

“Well, you know...Kaoru…”

Sai poured tea to each woman at the table. The back porch of the Akabeko is quiet despite all of the business going on inside. Sai set the teapot down and settled onto her cushion. It wasn’t every day she had a day off and so she had invited the women she was dear friends with to tea and supper.

“What?” Kaoru asked. Mochi dipped in sauce halfway to her mouth.

“They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Sai said with a small smirk. Kaoru blinked.

“What does that have to do with anything?” she asked. They had spent about five minutes talking about the new western fashion. While Kaoru had tried on a western dress once when she, Sano, Yahiko and Kenshin had the train ride. She found that it was far too encumbering. She wouldn’t be able to practice any Kamiya Kashin in it and the shoes were not easy to take off when one had to enter their home.

“Oh, Kaoru.” Megumi gave a long lived sigh.

“What?” Kaoru asked again, this time glaring at the Lady Doctor. She wasn’t overly jealous of the woman these days. She might flirt shamelessly with Kenshin but he was dumb as the gate bell about it. Or at least Kaoru hoped. He at least acted dumb. Probably to save him a bashing. She couldn’t blame him. She did have a habit of bashing people when she got mad.

“It’s been two years since he moved in with you.” Sai said. “Don’t you think it’s about time you did something about your sheets?”

Kaoru blinked.

Tsubame giggled. “She means you need to marry him. Kaoru.” she explained because the two other women weren’t giving Kaoru an ounce of room to work with.

“Me? marry Kenshin?” Kaoru asked. She pinked about the neck and shoulders. All of a sudden her summer Yukata was far too warm in the sweltering heat of the evening. It wasn’t even fully night yet.

“Why not?” Megumi got that fox look in her eye. “Why, if he gazed at me half as much as he gazes at you I’d have snagged him up all ready1 OhOhohohhoho!”

“Why you…” Kaoru clenched her fist, ready for a show down if Megumi pushed it any more.

“Kaoru, she’s just teasing. But we’re serious.” Sai said, she passed a plate of sweets around to distract them from any physical violence.

“Well. Kenshin hasn’t said a word about us.” Kaoru shrugs and sips her tea. She wished it was sake. She could use the liquid courage. Even if she couldn’t hold it very well.

“Kenshin is too much a gentleman to say such things.” Megumi pointed out.

“True. And it’s not like he means to see me in compromising positions…” Kaoru muttered.

“What do you mean?” Sai asked. The other two lent in, listening now while Kaoru hemmed and hawed but finally decided to tell them about Kenshin’s first night at her Dojo.

“He saw you in the bath?” Megumi gasped, them smirked. Kaoru rolled her eyes.

“He thought I was so upset about the fake battousai thing that I was about to commit suicide.” she replied.

“One does not commit suicide in the bath,” Megumi frowned. “It’s uncouth.”

“Right.” Tsubame and Sai said at the same time.

“I wasn’t going too. I just ducked my head under. I guess Ayame or Suzume thought I was sad and Kenshin went to the worst case scenario. I mean, he is Battousai the Manslayer. I didn’t know it then, but it makes sense after the fact he’d think such things.” Kaoru explained.

“And you locked him in your shed?” Tsubame asked. Shyly.

“Yes. But he escaped and then when Gohei was and his gang were about to...well….Kenshin decided to stay after beating them.” Kaoru sighed into her tea.

“My, how exciting.” Sai said and refilled each of their cups again.

“Still.” and now she returned to her original point, “you need to net that man before someone else does.”

“What do you mean?” Kaoru asked. It did seem like they were getting more women visitors now that it was pointed out to her. Women she didn’t know. Women Kenshin kind of knew but only from shopping once a week. And they each were uglier than the last.

“Kaoru, you need to show them who’s boss. You need to let Kenshin know you are seriously into him.” Tsubame said.

“Kenshin...knows…...I followed him to Kyoto didn’t I?”

“After I pushed you.” Megumi pointed out.

“All right, all right.” Kaoru nodded and flapped her hand at the three busy-bodies. “What should I do to let him know?”

“You need to be quiet about it.” Sai said after a few long moments of thinking. “You should do small things, to let him know you care more. Fix his Kimono or tea at random times or ask him for walks by the river and the sakura trees.”

“You two do have a thing for fireflies.” Megumi said.

“And he’d probably like it if you help him a bit more around the house.” Sai said.

“Does your husband even do chores?” Kaoru asks.

“He fixes the roof, but that’s mostly left to my children.” Sai said.

“Kenshin feels useless if I don’t let him do the chores.” Kaoru said. “I don’t think Chores is the way to do it.”

“What do you think, you know him best after all.” Megumi said.

“Hmmmm…..” Kaoru sighed, then shook her head. “I don’t know.”

~*~

“You think she’ll like it?” Sano said as he handed Kenshin the small, red, velvet box.

“Yes, this worthless one hopes for the best.” Kenshin nodded. He put the box in his Kimono sleeve pocket. He picked at a few threads that were coming loose. The Kimono was fading, becoming less red with each wash and more pink. The patches were distorted and even his hakama needed mending. He turned a smile onto Sano and forgot about his appearance.

“I’m glad you think so.” Sano scoffed. “Megumi has been laying down the hints so heavily it’s like she’s bashing me over the head with it.” he muttered.

Kenshin laughed; “Women think we should know exactly what they are thinking, that they do.” he agreed.

“I’ll have to tell her sometimes. I’m just letting it go to see when she gets fed up and demands we go to the temple for a ceremony.” Sano laughed.

“That is bad of you that it is.” Kenshin pointed out with a mue of a frown.

“Yeah, yeah.” Sano flapped a hand.

“Anyway, thanks for the tips. What about you and the Little Missy. I thought the two of you would get hitched far before now.”

“Kaoru-dono hasn’t said anything to this unworthy one about marriage.” Kenshin replied.

“And yet you’re thinking about it.” Sano said with a small smirk. Kenshin decided that he and Megumi-dono were perfect for each other, they really are.

“Indeed.”

“Are you worried she’ll reject you?”

“No. This unworthy one has given it a lot of thought. If Kaoru-dono did not want me she never would have followed me to Kyoto, that she would not.” Kenshin said.

“The way I heard it Megumo had to kick her ass out of bed.”

“Megumi is a bit more wise because she is a bit more older.” Kenshin replied.

“Hey now!”

“But she likes younger men.” Kenshin said as he dodged Sano’s attempts to catch his Kimono to shake. Sano always did man handle him a bit. Kenshin usually allowed him but he didn’t want his Kimono to gain a new battle wound. Even if Sano meant it all in fun.

“Good.” Sano said. He really wasn’t jealous of Kenshin. Megumi fawned and flirted with him from the beginning really. It was only in the past six months that he and Megumi had gotten anywhere to a dating relationship.

“And Kaoru-dono has always been kind to me and this unworthy one thinks she does want me in this way. but time will tell.” Kenshin said.

They stood at the gate of the Dojo; Kenshin undid the latch to go inside.

“Well, take care Kenshin. I’ll see you sometime.” Sano said.

“Good night, Sano.”

And with their farewells said, Sano headed off to Ruffian Row while Kenshin went about checking the Dojo. For once there wasn’t an interloper looking for a fight. With him or Kaoru-Dono. The days after his fight with Jin-e were daunting because he wasn’t able to protect her and Yahiko as he wished. Kaoru had a fight of her own. The man the goon squad had worked for wanted Kaoru as his wife.

Problem was he had killed his previous wives and Kaoru would have died if the goons were successful. Kenshin thanked whatever gods or goddesses that were watching over Kaoru for her having the ability to take them down.

The Dojo held only Yahiko, asleep in his bed. Kenshin shut the door on the boy and went to the bath house. Kaoru had her bath before she left for her ladies night retreat with Megumi, Sai and Tsubame. He hoped they didn’t put any ideas into her head. Sometimes she thought she had to be more of a woman, that always got a bit daunting. Trying not to hurt her feelings while not being able to do the laundry, his most favorite chore, while she insisted she couldn’t possibly ruin it.

And this is why her red Kimono should not be washed with Sani’s jacket. He had to get a new one made because the die had turned it a bright pink. Kenshin still thought it was hilarious privately, but never would he say such a thing to Sano.

After heating the bath house, he lit a few candles. He drew some of the hot water and took it to the bathing area. He put the box on a high shelf to keep out of danger while he bathed. The only other things he had with him is a sleeping yukata Kaoru had given him when she found out he hadn’t any to wear at night. It was her father’s but it was old and worn. Well taken care of. White with Kanji embroidered on it. Good wishes. It said. Kenshin treasures it. It was the first gift he’d received, out of pure kindness, in ten years.

And all because she wanted him to have it, to not go without any more. To not worry about when he’d eat again, if he would that day or anything at all. He did the house chores in return and she taught swordsmanship. But, for her, it didn’t seem to be enough. For some reason she wanted to do the chores too instead of focusing on where her talents lay. Not in house work. Oh no. But in strengthening those around her.

Kenshin shook himself out of his revere and soaped up with the new glycerin soap Kaoru had gotten from a vender who guaranteed it was from America and genuine. She got Jasmine, Lavender and Sandalwood. The Sandalwood was especially for Kenshin but he shared it with Yahiko because did not want to smell like flowers. Kenshin couldn’t blame him.

But, Kaoru loved the Jasmine. And Kenshin couldn’t help but take a whiff of it. He sometimes got to smell her if the wind turned her scent towards him. She always smelt like Jasmine in winter. He wasn’t certain as to why. But even if winter brought bad memories to him, Kaoru made it all better in the end.

It felt as if Tomoe was telling him something, or giving her blessing or….well….sake tasted better. At least. And he didn’t feel as torn up about her death as he had in the last ten or eleven years.

Kenshin, finished washing, dunked his long red hair into the bucket. He swished the water through his locks for a few seconds before pulling the mass out to drip along his back. He then slipped into the tub. It was warm and the candle light spilt shadows upon the wall.

Kenshin let his mind go empty. He decided that for a few moments he would not worry or plan or anything. Just bask in the warmness of having a home and people to love who simply loved him back. Despite his dirty and bloody past.

~*~

Kaoru couldn’t help but sneak up to the bath house. She stamped down her ki as she approached. She was certain Kenshin knew she was home but not sensing any danger, hadn’t bothered to dress to greet her at the gate. Good. He should be able to relax sometimes.

The door was open a crack and and she was able to get a good long look at his pale, scar ridden back as he bent over the bucket to wash his hair. She held back a giggle.

Now who should be locked in the shed? she admonished herself. It wouldn’t be the first time she was confronted with a face full of Kenshin. The time they’d gone to the hot springs he’s busted out of the water talking about Raijuta’s schemes. It probably wasn’t embarrassing for the men, but Megumi and Kaoru both looked.

He was well endowed and even though she had plenty of fantasies involving, him, her and other such things her idea of his endowment was always a blur. She hadn’t wanted to give it any sort of detail because she was afraid her imagination would come up with something reality wouldn’t be able to live up to. Since that first flash of him. Kaoru hadn’t any trouble imagining anything.

She flushed as Kenshin climbed into the tub and sunk to his shoulders. His eyes were open but not once did they slip to her, giving her away. Well, maybe her ki skills weren’t as bad as she thought if Kenshin was unable to sense her spying on him.

Finally he sighed and closed his eyes. She turned and as silently as she’d walked to the bath house, she returned to the Dojo proper. She went to her room. It took a few moments to untie the bow and obi. To slip out of her day Yukata and undergarments to slip into her sleeping Yukata. She folded and put both away before pulling out her futon and laying it out.

All of this was done in darkness. She didn’t want to wake Yaiko who slept next door. Kenshin’s room was beyond that. She sighed. She wished he had a piece of his clothing. Something to comfort herself with while she thought up a way to get him to….

Was she even ready for marriage? why hadn’t she thought of that? most women were married by her age. Megumi was an outlier and shouldn’t be involved in the number of women she knew who were married by age sixteen.

And Tsubame had a few years to go. Anyway.

Kaoru sighed. She got up and opened the door of her room. The candles lit the bath house and Kaoru felt it was safe to steal away to Kenshin’s room.

The Rurouni had little in the way of possessions but she’d seen a different Kimono in a small trunk she’d lent him. He never wore it. Not really so she felt it was the safest to steal. She dug it out before going back to her room.

It smelt musty, and of the trunk but she got a whiff of Kenshin if she put most of the fabric to her nose. She sighed and smiled. Sometimes she wanted to hug him and bury her nose into his neck to just smell him. She felt better and soons he settled into sleep.

~*~

about a half hour later, At her door, Kenshin peered in. So he’d been right. She had forgotten to close the entrance to his room after getting his Ishin-shishi uniform Kimono out of the trunk. He had almost been upset about it.

But seeing her peacefully asleep, he couldn’t take it back. He shook his head and closed her door then went quietly back to his room where he pulled out his futon and laid down.

~*~

Kenshin glanced up when Kaoru entered the dining room. He was just putting down a platter of fish he’d caught and grilled that morning along with rice and miso soup. Yahiko’s jaw hit the floor.

“Morning!” she beamed at them.

“Good morning, Kaoru-Dono.” Kenshin smiled. His blue, military issued Kimono was huge on her but she paired it with a dark grey obi. The ribbon in her hair was also grey.

“Uh. Kaoru…?”

“I borrowed it from Kenshin.” Kaoru explained. Though she felt that she didn’t have to. “Kenshin isn’t going to be getting it back any time soon.” she glanced at him.

“Oro?” Kenshin questioned. Not that he paritcualrly cared if she wore his Kimono or not.

“What do you mean, you borrowed it and he isn’t getting it back?” Yahiko asked. Mouth half full with rice.

“Well, I’ve decided on something.” Kaoru said, she lay her full gaze on Kenshin.

“Ororororor???”

“I’m going to be your wife.”

“WHAT!?” Yahiko yelled.

“Wife?” Kenshin blinked.

“Yes.” Kaoru nodded. Then she dug into breakfast. Kenshin may think he’s a lousy cook but he was far better than her. He could work at the Akabeko if he wanted.

“Kenshin, did you just heard what she said?” Yahiko demanded.

“This unworthy one did, that it so.” Kenshin nodded.

“And?”

“And what?”

“Are you going to marry her?”

The silence that followed Yahiko’s question was hard. Kenshin fiddled with his chop sticks before he put them down and then dug into his Yukata. He brought out a red, velvet box. He put it next to Kaoru’s bowl of rice.

“As you know, I don’t have anyone to negotiate with your family for your hand in Marriage, Kaoru-Dono. I came across this Western tradition and since Meiji is taking steps into a modern future I thought maybe you would like it.” Kenshin explained.

Kaoru opened the box and gasped. Of course she had heard of this tradition. The ring was gold, on the small side, but she didn’t care. She slipped it onto her left hand, ring finger and held it out before her.

“Kenshin…” Kaoru felt tears brim in her eyes. “I am so happy!”

Then she flung herself across the table and into Kenshin’s arms. Yahiko returned to eating after giving them both an eye roll.

“I am very glad, Kaoru.” Kenshin said into her ear. Kaoru sighed and kissed his cheek lightly.

~*~

“He proposed, the western way?” Sai practically giggled. Kaoru had to show off her ring and had taken off for Megumi’s and the Akabeko as soon as breakfast was over. Kenshin went with her but he broke off to buy some material. Kaoru insisted that he get a new outfit, not wanting to spend hard earned money on pre-made clothing, Kenshin decided to make his own. It wasn’t the first time. True, the Ishin-Shishi did supply their men with a uniform, but he had made his red Kimono and Hakama on the fly and figured he could do it again.

While he shopped for the appropriate fabric, Kaoru went to the Akabeko. They’d visit Megumi on their way home.

“It’s perfect,” Kaoru sighed, hearts in her eyes.

“I’m so glad.” Sai said and hugged Kaoru.

Kaoru said good by as soon as Kenshin showed up with a bundle under his arm.

“Shall we?” he smiled at her and held out his hand.

Kaoru took it. “Yes.” she nodded.

**  
  
  
  
**


End file.
